Greenpeace said today it was time New Zealand energy companies like Genesis Energy stopped trying to brand themselves as caring and clean, when in reality they were increasing the threat of climate change.

The comments follow the release this week of Greenpeace’s spoof of the Genesis’ pukeko advertisement, in which the company seeks to convince the public that it gets its energy from a range of sources, thereby helping secure the future.

Greenpeace climate campaigner Vanessa Atkinson said the ad was a blatant attempt at greenwash. “Genesis claims to be securing our future; in reality, it’s posing a direct threat to it with over 75 per cent of its power plants running on coal and gas and polluting the climate.
”Its coal fired power station in Huntly is the single biggest source of deadly carbon dioxide in New Zealand. And it’s mainly thanks to an increase in coal use at the plant that carbon dioxide emissions from coal for electricity production have leapt 889% between 1990 and 2005 (1).

“Meanwhile, the company’s using images of wind turbines in its billboard campaign, when just 0.4% of its generation plants use wind (2). Diversity shouldn’t mean relying on such a vast proportion of thermal generation.”

Ms Atkinson said it was ironic the government was proposing a carbon-neutral New Zealand, when Genesis – a State Owned Enterprise - was pumping such massive quantities of carbon into the air every day. “It’s a case of “do as we say, not as we do”, which is just not good enough with a problem as big as this.
“It’s still possible to avoid the worst effects of climate change, but this requires a concerted effort, with countries like New Zealand leading the way by setting targets to cut emissions, putting a price on greenhouse pollution, switching to clean, renewable energy sources and boosting energy efficiency and conservation.

“Huntly needs to be phased out and replaced with renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. There’s no place for coal in New Zealand’s future and no excuse for pulling the wool over New Zealanders’ eyes.”

Greenpeace’s spoof ad featuring the disgruntled pukeko from the Genesis campaign has been published on youtube.com and is currently in the most highly rated and most viewed clip on the popular international video website.

The direct link is Greenpeace Spoof on YouTube

Revised New Zealand Energy Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Ministry for Economic Development, December 2006, page 34 and page 5.

According to the company’s own figures on installed capacity, available on their website.

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